NAMAYCUSH AND OTHERS 117 



bass. Drop de tip straight toward him and den tighten 

 up de instant he touch de water/ 



"As he spoke, out came his royal highness again, and 

 the rod dropped to greet him, for that spring and lash- 

 ing out against a taut line must mean either a lost fish 

 or a broken tip. 



" 'A good fish/ said Peter the Dane. 'T'ree pound 

 strong/ 



"And indeed it was the strongest three pounds the 

 little rod had ever tried conclusions with. Hardly 

 had he touched the water and the pressure been resumed 

 when he was into the air once more, so far away that 

 the eye almost refused to believe it the same fish. 

 When he reached the surface this time he danced ten 

 feet away on his tail, disappeared with a swoop that 

 set the reel to singing a valkyr's shriek, and was out 

 twice more in rapid succession, somersaulting till the 

 air seemed full of salmon. 



"These acrobatic displays and the continued strain 

 of the sturdy bamboo were taking the edge of? his fierce- 

 ness. A dozen feet of the line came onto the reel before 

 he fairly realized any compulsion. 'What, done al- 

 ready?' But at that instant the reel handle began to 

 revolve the other way and no other answer was needed. 

 Around the canoe he dashed, the line cutting through 

 the water with that swish so dear to the heart of the 

 angler. A little snubbing brought him up for the fifth 

 leap, and then followed darts and rushes in every direc- 

 tion, and savage tugs and shakes and borings down- 

 ward, and circus-like gallops round and round, while 



